Method and machine for manufacturing cables

ABSTRACT

A method of and high speed machine for stranding to form ropes from filaments by feeding filaments from storage spools to a rotary stranding head. Rope issues from the machine in the opposite direction by employing deflector devices associated with guide carriers. The stranding head is rotated in the same direction but at about twice the speed as the guide carriers.

United States Patent inventor Wilhelm lloirichier Bramsche nearOsnabruck, Germany Appl. No. 796,737 Filed Feb. 5, 1969 Patented June22, 197i Assignee E. Vornbaumen 8: Co.

lburg T.W. near Osnabruck, Germany Priority Feb. 14, 1968 Germany METHODAND MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING CABLES 7 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig.

11.8. CI 57/5852, 57/59, 57/156 lnt.Ci D01h 1/10, D01h 7/86 [50] Fieldof Search 57/5849, 58.52,58.54,58.55,59.60, 34

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,921,429 1/ 1969 Haugwitz57/5852 3,425,203 2/ 1969 Schillepeeckx 57/5855 X FOREIGN PATENTS1,360,663 3/1969 France 5852/ Primary Examiner-John PetrakesAttorney-Arthur O. Klein ABSTRACT: A method of and high speed machinefor stranding to form ropes from filaments by feeding filaments fromstorage spools to a rotary stranding head. Rope issues from the machinein the opposite direction by employing deflector devices associated withguide carriers. The stranding head is rotated in the same direction butat about twice the speed as the guide carriers.

NSQ

PATENTEU JUN22 1971 lnveniar: I WiHnelm HOFRICHTER 6} MM (9 m 141'!Afforney BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a methodof and high speed machine for stranding to form ropes, cores of cables,or the like, more specifically from wires or strands or threads in theform of filaments.

In a method according to an earlier proposal the filaments areindividually guided from the storage spools, with a change of directionto the direction opposite to that in which they are drawn off, to astranding head, in which they are stranded. The separate guiding of thefilaments from the storage spools to the stranding head provides theadvantage that during their travel from the spools to the stranding headthe filaments are subjected only to the deformations resulting fromchanges of direction and the stresses resulting therefrom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In contrast thereto the method according to theinvention comprises the steps of feeding the filaments from the storagespools towards a uniting point, and continuously stranding the filamentsinto a stranded material, and deflecting the stranded material in adirection opposite to the feeding direction. This method is intended tofurther reduce the deformations and forces acting on the filaments ontheir path to the stranding point, in order to obtain double laystranding of a high quality. This method may be applied not only to thestranding of materials having relatively low strength andelasticity'values, but also to materials having relatively high valuesof this type.

The high speed stranding machine according to the invention comprises asubstantially stationary spool carrier disposed between two guidecarriers, first drive means to rotate the guide carriers synchronouslyabout a common machine axis, a pair of deflector devices beingassociated with each of the guide carriers, the deflector devices beingdisposed in a com-. mon plane passing through the machine axis, astranding device axially disposed within the spool carrier, guide meansfor guiding the filaments from the spools to the stranding head of thestranding device, second drive means for rotating the stranding head inthe same direction as the guide carriers at about twice the speed, thedeflector devices being so arranged that, in use, stranded material isfed out by the machine in a direction opposite to the direction in whichthe filaments are fed from the spools to the stranding head. Thestranding head preferably comprises a stranding nipple forming thestranding point and a roller system for guiding the stranded product inits path on leaving the nipple. Advantageously, a guide roller isassociated with some of the storage spools and is so disposed inrelation to the guide means that, when the machine is operative, eachfilament running ofi from the spools runs into the guide member at anacute angle to the common axis. The guide member may comprise aperforated and axially displaceable disc, which is axially displaceablefor the purpose of adjusting the stranding angle.

Preferably, each of the deflector devices comprise a deflector segmenthaving a guide groove. The second drive means may comprise an infinitelyvariable transmission.

The high speed stranding machine according to the invention has anextremely short construction and in consequence of the small rotatingmasses is suitable for achieving high stranding outputs at high speedsof rotation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of examplewith reference to the accompanying drawing,

which shows a side elevation view of a high speed stranding machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing,the high speed stranding machine shown comprises a spool carrier la,which is inertially mounted between guide carriers 2a and 2b,constructed as spool carrier bearings, so as to be substantiallystationary in relation to said guide carriers. The guide carriers 2a, 2bare mounted in bearing supports 3 and are provided with deflectorsegments 120. The deflector segments I20 are disposed in pairs followingone another and which are secured to the guide carriers to rotateconcentrically with the latter about the machine axis 5. Each of thedeflector segments, which are aligned in a common plane through themachine axis, are provided with a groove or channel for guiding thestranded material along a path thereformed;

In the spool carrier 1a there are accommodated storage spools 6 whichmay selectively, be disposed one behind the other, side by side, and/orone above the other. The filaments 19, which are drawn off from thestorage spools during the operation of the high speed stranding machineare in each case guided over a deflector roller 4, associated in eachcase with a storage spool 6. The filaments 19 are fed on to a perforatedplate 121 which serves as a cable guide member and which is disposedwithin the spool carrier la so as to be stationary and axiallydisplaceable along the main machine axis 5. With the aid of thedeflector rollers 4 the filaments 19 run into the perforated-disc at anacute angle to the axis of the latter, whereby a tensional reactionoppositely to the drawoff direction is limited. An exception hereto is aheart wire, which is preferably introduced centrally into the perforateddisc 121 from a heart wire spool 18. v

The perforated disc 121 is followedby a stranding head 7 comprising abearing sleeve which is fastened on the spool carrier 1a and in which astranding nipple 122 is mounted to be rotatable about the main machineaxis 5. The filaments 19 run into the stranding nipple 122 which doesnot apply any pressing action to the material being stranded or to thestranded product being formed. Stranding in the stranding nipple 122 isaccomplished since on leaving the stranding nipple I22 the productpasses through a roller system 123 comprising at least three rollers,which effect a temporary deflection of the product out of the mainmachine axis 5. These rollers, which are mounted for free rotation,rotate concentrically about the main machine axis 5 and ensure that thestranded product receives a rotational speed synchronous to thestranding head 7. The stranded material, which is completely andaccurately stranded, is subsequently deflected by means of the deflectorsegments back past the guide carriers 2a, 2b into a direction oppositeto the direction in which the material is drawn off from the storagespools and on leaving the stranding machine. It is then fed to adetwisting device (not shown) when the material to be stranded is one ofrelatively great strength and elasticity. After leaving the detwistingdevice the stranded material passes to a receiving reel (likewise notshown).

The stranding head 7 is rotated in the same direction as the guidecarriers 2a, 2b, its rotational speed being approximately twice as greatas that of the guide carriers 2a, 2b. Whereas the guide carriers 2a, 2bare driven through a cogged belt 111 coupled to the main machine shaft(not further shown), the stranding head 7 is driven by the guidecarriers 20, 2b through gearing 124, 125, which hasa transmission ratiosuch that the stranding head 7 rotates in the same direction as that ofthe guide carriers 2a, 2b, but at twice the speed. Alternatively,infinitely variable transmission means (not shown) may replace thegearing in the drive to the stranding head 7 for regulating the speed ofthe stranding head 7 relative to the guide carriers 2a, 2b. Regulationof the relative speed ratio through an infinitely variable transmissionaffords control of the tension within the finished stranded product.

Since, firstly, the stranding head 7 is rotated in the same directionand at twice the speed as the guide carriers 20, 2b

and secondly, the travelling direction of the stranded product isreversed by means of the deflector segments 120, the finished strandedmaterial is not rotated. At first the stranding material rotates at thesame speed as the stranding head 7. However, when after leaving thelatter, it travels to the bearing 3, (on the left in the drawing) whereit leaves the machine without any rotary movement about its ownlongitudinal axis. The stranded material, which on leaving the machineruns into a detwisting device and is then fed to a receiving reel, has aparticularly high quality of stranding, while the filaments in thestrand have a ready tendency to close up.

"Although my invention has been illustrated and described with referenceto the preferred embodiment thereof, I wish to have it understood thatit is in no way limited to the details of such embodiment but is capableof numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

1. A method of stranding filaments to form ropes, cores of cables or thelike, which comprises the steps of a. feeding the filaments from storagespools towards ajunction,

b. twisting the filaments into a strand at said junction by rotatingsaid filaments at a predetermined speed in a predetermined plane andaxis, and

c. deflecting the formed strand in said plane and along said axis in adirection opposite to the feeding direction while rotating the deflectedstrand at a speed about one-half of the twisting speed of the originalrotational speed.

2. A high speed stranding machine to form ropes, cores of cables, andthe like, in accordance with the stranding method set forth in claim 1,comprising in combination,

a. a pair of guide carriers rotatably mounted in said machine, andadapted to rotate about said predetermined axis,

b. a spool carrier inertially supported by said pair of guide carriersand adapted to carry a plurality of spools of filaments,

c. a pair of deflector devices associated with each guide carrier andmounted in said predetermined plane,

d. a stranding device rotatably coaxially mounted in said spool carrier,e. a guide member inertially mounted in said spool carrier for feedingthe filaments to the stranding device, and,

f. driving means operatively connected to said pair of guide carriersand said stranding device and adapted to rotate the latter at abouttwice the speed of the former.

3. A high speed stranding machine as defined in claim 2, comprising astranding nipple forming the stranding point of the stranding device,and further comprising a roller system for guiding the stranded productin a predetermined path on leaving the nipple.

4. A high speed stranding machine as defined in claim 2, wherein a guideroller is juxtaposed to at least some of the storage spools so disposedin relation to the guide member that, when the machine is operative,each filament running off from the spool runs into the guide member atan acute angle to the common axis.

5. A high speed stranding machine as defined in claim 2, wherein theguide member is a perforated and axially displaceable disc.

6. A high speed stranding machine as defined in claim 2, wherein thesecond drive means includes an infinitely variable transmission.

7. A high speed stranding machine as defined in claim 2, wherein each ofthe deflector devices is a deflector segment having a guide groove.

1. A method of stranding filaments to form ropes, cores of cables or the like, which comprises the steps of a. feeding the filaments from storage spools towards a junction, b. twisting the filaments into a strand at said junction by rotating said filaments at a predetermined speed in a predetermined plane and axis, and c. deflecting the formed strand in said plane and along said axis in a direction opposite to the feeding direction while rotating the deflected strand at a speed about one-half of the twisting speed of the original rotational speed.
 2. A high speed stranding machine to form ropes, cores of cables, and the like, in accordance with the stranding method set forth in claim 1, comprising in combination, a. a pair of guide carriers rotatably mounted in said machine, and adapted to rotate about said predetermined axis, b. a spool carrier inertially supported by said pair of guide carriers and adapted to carry a plurality of spools of filaments, c. a pair of deflector devices associated with each guide carrier and mounted in said predetermined plane, d. a stranding device rotatably coaxially mounted in said spool carrier, e. a guide member inertially mounted in said spool carrier for feeding the filaments to the stranding device, and, f. driving means operatively connected to said pair of guide carriers and said stranding device and adapted to rotate the latter at about twice the speed of the former.
 3. A high speed stranding machine as defined in claim 2, comprising a stranding nipple forming the stranding point of the stranding device, and further comprising a roller system for guiding the stranded product in a predetermined path on leaving the nipple.
 4. A high speed stranding machine as defined in claim 2, wherein a guide roller is juxtaposed to at least some of the storage spools so disposed in relation to the guide member that, when the machine is operative, each filament running off from the spool runs into the guide member at an acute angle to the common axis.
 5. A high speed stranding machine as defined in claim 2, wherein the guide member is a perforated and aXially displaceable disc.
 6. A high speed stranding machine as defined in claim 2, wherein the second drive means includes an infinitely variable transmission.
 7. A high speed stranding machine as defined in claim 2, wherein each of the deflector devices is a deflector segment having a guide groove. 